Student Activities Council Funding and the Penn Democrats

The Penn Democrats just wanted to give a big thanks to our friends at the Penn College Republicans for speaking out about some of the Student Activities Council’s (SAC) rules regarding funding for political groups.  In today’s Daily Pennsylvanian, College Republican President Zac Byer wrote on how political groups should be funded just like any other SAC group.  We wholeheartedly agree with with Zac’s position.  

We believe that all groups, especially two of the most active organizations at the University of Pennsylvania, deserve SAC funding, regardless of partisanship.

Here is why:  Whenever the Penn Democrats try to host a major event, such as bringing prominent speakers to campus, we must always worry about our budget.  Even if we are reserving a Penn room, we must pay for it.  We are required to raise all funds ourselves, with no outside help from SAC.  With SAC funding, many of these limitations that are hurting our organization would be resolved. 

To not encourage some of the most active and passionate leaders on campus to pursue every possible means of raising the level of political debate at the University of Pennsylvania is tragic.  Penn, through the Penn Democrats and College Republicans, has the means to be one of the most politically active campuses in the country, but we are continuously plagued by a lack of funding.  

It is time for the SAC and University administrators to step-up and rectify their mistake by giving both student groups the same SAC funding that is available to all other student organizations.